3 week Scotland Itinerary

Well, I loved Glasgow and am glad you want to spend some time there. Lots to see and do but my favorite places were the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum and the Necropolis. You might want to think about doing your day trip to Stirling while you are in Glasgow, as it's a short distance (30 minutes by train from Queen Street station). That's what I did and loved Stirling! When I was in Glasgow, I stayed at Grasshoppers Hotel, which was very charming. I booked it based on recommendations from this forum and loved it. The hotel is located right next to the train station - in fact, there is a shortcut through the station to get there.

The rooms are very nice with a desk area and lots of room and a comfy bed. They have an amazing selection of homemade cupcakes and ice cream (with vegan options) in the hallway that are always available (gratis!) for guests. There is a lounge with coffee and tea makings available for guests and wine and beer is available for purchase. Wine was €4 for a glass and it’s based on the honor system - you pour a glass and let them know. The lounge was a wonderful place to meet people as everyone tends to gravitate there. Breakfast is included and is served buffet style with cooked options as well as cereals, yogurt and so on. The staff was very friendly and went out of their way to be helpful. The price is reasonable as well.

I also loved Mull and especially Tobermory. Such a charming town! Mull was peaceful and beautiful and I could easily have spent more time here. I loved visiting Iona and also got around the island and took a Staffa boat ride. I stayed at Harbour Guest House, which was right on the harbor, and very easy to get to. I had a harbor view from my window. There’s tons of free parking around and I never had any problem finding a place. The rooms were super clean, spacious, and the owners were very nice. The breakfast area was charming, and had one huge picture window at the end with lots of greenery outside and several bird feeders, so you could sit there, eat breakfast and watch the birds fly around. The owner is also a great resource for places to visit on the island.

I put a link to the website above, but noticed that the website has changed (although the email address has not). So it's possible it is now owned by Western Isles Hotel, which is a large hotel that sits above Tobermory. Either way, it was a great location (there is a chocolate shop and cafe right next door). :-)

ETA: Well, I was curious about Harbour Guest House so decided to compare prices. In May of this year (2023), I paid £320 for 4 nights in a double room on the ground floor. I just did a trial booking and was quoted a price of £531 for just 3 nights for the same room. So that room has increased from £80 a night to £177 a night.

After you've been to Culzean, rather than go back to the Erskine Bridge and up the A82 you could take the Western Ferries crossing from Gourock (McInroy's Point) to Dunoon then the drive up the A815 to Inveraray possibly calling in at Benmore Botanic Gardens.

Between Plockton and St Andrews that will be a matter of personal choice. I personally would opt for Grantown over Ballater but there is also Tomintoul betwixt the two.

I was just taken aback by the Harbour Lights at Tobermory. It looks like they have got very seasonal dynamic pricing and are charging hefty single supplements. In November and March I can still find a Single at about £80 a night, but then sample 4 nights I tried in April and May are about £500 for 4 nights single. But doubles for 4 nights there are also about £500 for 4 nights on sample bookings- which is a better price.

Looks like a good trip. Just not sure why you would take the Mallaig ferry to get to Plockton which is on the mainland? Unless to experience driving the Road to the Isles? The part of Skye where the ferry docks (Armadale) is not the most spectacular, and if you are planning a day trip to Skye while staying in Plockton then not really much point in taking the ferry to Armadale from Mallaig.

My preference would be Ballater over Grantown on Spey. I know Ballater quite well, everything there is walkable and it is also a very pretty highland village. Just as nearby Braemar is too. I'm not very familiar with Grantown on Spey and whilst I have driven through it many times, I've never stopped there.

I think Ballater ticks your boxes and it's not too far to drive to Stonehaven and Dunnottar as a day trip. Balmoral castle and the Royal Lochnagar Distillery are about eight miles away so easy to get to. The village has quite a few independent shops, free parking and good pubs.

Regarding why we might take the Mallaig ferry, I perhaps read somewhere that is is fun and scenic, but maybe going up through Ft. William and then over on A87 is a pretty route too. The listed drive time isn't much different; 4 hr 25 min for A87 versus 4 hr 39 min for the Mallaig route. That brings up a question on drive times- the Mallaig route time of 4 hr 39 min says "this route includes a ferry". Is the ferry ride time at sea included in the time estimate of 4.39? Or is the time going to increase by however long the ferry ride takes?

Another question-- isn't there a pretty drive maybe in Glencoe that was featured in one of the James Bond movies? Maybe we could take it or a portion as we travel about.

Thanks for the positive comments for Ballater- once I started thinking about it, it seemed to fit into our route and plan pretty well.

If you're going from Tobermory to Mallaig then you don't need to go via Fort William. You can cross on the wee ferry from Tobermory to Kilchoan, then up from Kilchoan to Mallaig.

That is 2:47 according to AA route planner including the ferry.

Then Mallaig to Plockton is 1:43 including the ferry.

The route planner estimate of 4:40 via the more frequent Fishnish to Lochaline ferry then Mallaig includes the passage times of the two ferries, but clearly not waiting times for them.

So the Lochaline and Kilchoan routes to Mallaig are basically the same travel time.

The Lochaline ferry is in sheltered waters so not prone to weather delays. The Mallaig ferry is far more prone to weather, so the A87 route is the "safer route"- BUT be aware that the A87 route also involves another very short ferry crossing on the Corran ferry- turn up and go. The Corran ferry has had serious breakdown issues for a year now- still not back on service as I write. If there was a breakdown (as now) it is a long diversion round the Loch to the Fort on single track roads, or back to Oban from Tobermory to Craignure then up the A828 from Oban via Ballachulish.

I like Grantown On Spey. It's a pleasant little town. it was often a stop for me when coming off the A9 and continuing on to Nairn on the road across the moor. That whole area is great; Boat of Garten for the ospreys, and Nethy Bridge is a village that also makes a good base for seeing Speyside.

Driving time for the ferry is exactly that (car driving plus ferry sailing) and doesn't take into account the extra you will need for arriving at the port well before the ferry loads. They like you to be there about 45 minutes before it sails. Personally I find the main route through Invergarry and by loch Claunie equally scenic. You also need to book a specific ferry in advances it does restrict your flexibility en route. If you like a scenic ferry you might consider a side trip from Plockton taking in the Glenelg to Skye ferry - no need to book and the drive on either side is incredibly scenic.

Don’t underestimate driving times in Scotland. Distances may not look far on the map but will take a lot longer to cover than you might expect. If using google maps to determine times, round the numbers up. The recommendation is to add 25% to these times. Locals know the road and can match these times, visitors may not.

You need to be prepared to allocate nearly the full day to get between some of these stops. You will have long day light hours in May/June but don’t forget most attractions still close around 5pm with last entry a lot earlier.

Doing Culzean Castle on the way to Inveraray doesn’t make sense as it is SW of Glasgow and you are doubling back on yourself. There’s a lot to do and see at Culzean and you need to allow at least half a day to do it justice. This is going to make for a very long day as you need to allow AT LEAST 5 hours driving time, plus time for stops. There is an argument for doing this as an out and back during your time in Glasgow and then heading straight to Inveraray.

Tobermoray to Plockton is another long day - Taking the ferry from Mallaig and then driving off Skye by the road bridge is the more direct route rather than going all the way by road BUT you need to allow 6 hours drive time and then add on time for the ferry... It is very scenic but a slow road for most of the way. Be prepared for another very long day.

I assume you know that Holy Island is reached by tidal causeway. Check out safe crossing times here to make sure you can do this as a day trip from Melrose. Don’t try and cross between these times as the tide comes in very quickly and unfortunate (or foolish) motorists regularly get caught out. There is a safe refuge for pedestrians, but the salt water won’t do the car much good...

The scenic drive you are thinking of is the Glen Etive Road in Glen Coe! And yes, the James Bond movie, Skyfall, was filmed here. Well, a small scene was filmed here.

The Glen Etive road is absolutely stunning. We drove down this road last June. It is 12 miles long and ends at the mouth of Loch Etive. It is worth driving all the way to the end. In June the mountainsides will be covered in rhododendrons. You drive through the valley following the Etive River. We were stopping every 5 minutes to take photos. This drive was one of the highlights of our trip to Scotland. And in June you will be surrounded by lush greenery!

https://www.ontheluce.com/glen-etive-road-scotland/

I've been re-thinking the trip, but still keeping it to 22 nights, here is a slightly different itinerary:

Fly into Glasgow - 3 nights
Drive to Tobermory (4 hr drive) - 3 nights
Drive to Plockton (4 hr 24 min drive) - 3 nights
Drive to Ballater (3 hr 28 min drive) - 4 nights
St. Andrews (1 hr 58 min drive) - 1 night
Drive to Melrose (2 hr 5 min drive) - 4 nights
Return car to Edinburgh Airport (57 min drive) - 4 nights in Edinburgh

Tried taking Plockton stop out, but I felt this was giving up too much- Plockton village, Applecross Peninsula, Eilean Donan, etc- and I know western Scotland is supposed to be really beautiful. Even with it gone, we'd still have to stop for a night somewhere to break up the drive to Ballater. And some versions of the itinerary had two nights in St. Andrews as we golf and want to visit the Fife villages, but now I think just one night might work- this breaks up the drive to Melrose a bit, and we'd have more time there than on a day trip from Edinburgh.

Thoughts?

On the way to Tobermory I would book a late afternoon or even early evening ferry, as soon as bookings open. The daylight hours at that time of year are long, so you are in no rush to reach Tobermory.

Then you will have times for stops- you could certainly fit in a stop at Inveraray Castle for instance on the way, and you will want to make other impromptu stops.

And the time, including wait time at Oban is 5 hours not 4- as you must be in line 45 minutes before the advertised sailing time. If you do arrive in time for an earlier ferry you can put yourself in a standby line, and may well be lucky. And people will tell you of times that CalMac let later arrivals on. But 45 minutes is what you must budget for.
As within that time you will be viewed as a no show, and someone in the standby line given your place.

Likewise you must add on ferry wait times for the Tobermory to Plockton route (for the one or two ferries you are using depending on route) and have the diversionary routes at your fingertips in case of problems on the day.

Hi, our itinerary is now 23 nights:

Glasgow 3 nights
Tobermory 3 nights
Plockton 3 nights
Ballater 4 nights
St. Andrews 2 nights
Melrose 4 nights
Edinburgh 4 nights

Interested in ideas for meeting local people. We'll definitely be hanging out at local pubs. Some suggestions on the Fodor's board (I asked them this same question) were to just do everyday things and don't be afraid to interact. Does anyone have favorite memories of some ordinary activity that resulted in a wonderful interaction with local Scots? Thanks!

We stayed at a hotel outside of Ballater and really enjoyed that town. We stopped there to pickup lunch and guess who was in town then. The Queen. She was meeting and greeting asked where I was from, then thanked me for the beautiful weather I brought from California

I would second the advice to just do everyday things and chat to people as you meet them. Of course not all locals are Scottish (I'm not but my husband is) but don't let that you put you off! If you stay in B&Bs your hosts will be very happy to chat to you and recommend things to do that might be slightly off the well trodden tourist path. We are certainly delighted when our guests ask us to recommend a walk or some other activity that is not in every guide book and plastered all over Instagram.

It looks like we are going to move the dates to September 2024 due to house remodel delays. That would have one advantage- we could go to Braemar Gathering which is Sept. 7, 2024. Ballater to Braemar is less than an hour, 32 minutes per Google maps. Maybe the weather will be sunnier too in September!

Ballater to Braemar is indeed about a 30 minute drive but it will take longer on the day of the Braemar Gathering.

There are traffic lights on the A93 a couple of miles outside the village and the amount of vehicles on the road that day will make the drive time slower. Be prepared for a delay. The car park is a field about a twenty minute walk away from The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park where the games are held. When the royal party leave don't be in too much of a rush to leave yourself because lots of people do with inevitable complaints on-line that it took too long to get away from the car parking area. Braemar has one main road in and one out (the A93) and the gathering is an extremely popular event.

If you are going to change your dates do make sure your accommodation for the first weekend in September is changed as quickly as possible. I have friends in the area who did B&B and requests for lodgings from people wishing to attend the Braemar Gathering sometimes came in a year in advance.

Loved the Braemar Gathering. I did it as a bus trip from Edinburgh, though, as was warned it would be very difficult to find accommodation and parking. I really enjoyed the Ballater area once I got the car, but I may be biased because my great grandmother was from there, and I was doing some genealogy research. I would love to go back again.

As an alternative plan to add a Highland Games to schedule, we could plan to go June 9 to the Games at Glamis Castle. This means going in May/June and we would plan to be in Ballater around then. It would be a long but fun day to go from Ballater to Glamis, enjoy the games, and then afterward continue down to St. Andrews.
What time do Highland Games typically begin, at noon? Traffic will slow travel times but this could work for us. Seeing Glamis itself would be a bonus too, and the days are longer and gardens should be looking nice.

This is the website for the Strathmore [Glamis] Highland Games- gates open at 10, officially opens at 12.-

https://www.strathmorehighlandgames.co.uk/

It will eat up a couple of hours, but going to a launderette and doing laundry is always an interesting experience and often gives you a chance to chat with local residents.

Looking at our itinerary, it seems to be too busy, and that we will end up going to too many places without enough time to enjoy them, and we’d also be driving too far on some days. So, here is a trimmed down itinerary that still would be for 22 nights.

Glasgow- 2 nights
Melrose- 4 nights
Inveraray- 2 nights
Tobermory- 4 nights
Calander- 3 nights
St. Andrews- 3 nights
Edinburgh- 4 nights
22 nights

This seems less hectic. Hope to see Culzean and could add a night to Glasgow to enable a day trip for it, perhaps a night from Calander- I’d rather stay with 4 nights for Melrose & Borders region.

Yes, you could probably 'rob' a night from Callander for Culzean. I don't think we mentioned the Loch Katrine cruises above re- the Callander stay- https://www.lochkatrine.com/cruises/

Why did I put Glasgow to Melrose and then to Inveraray? It’s better to place Melrose after St. Andrews. Then, the trip would be:

Start Glasgow- 3 nights with day trip to Culzean Castle
Go to Inveraray- 2 nights
Go to Tobermory- 4 nights
Go to Callander- 3 nights with day trip to Sterling castle
St. Andrews- 3 nights
Melrose- 4 nights
Edinburgh- 3 nights
21 nights

The longest driving day would be getting from Tobermory to Callander. Every other drive would be pretty reasonable. I like this plan a lot so far!

That definitely looks doable. And yes, your trip from Tobermory to Callander will be long. Google says 3 1/2 hours but I would add at least one extra hour to that, so make sure you plan for some stops along the way.

By the way, if you haven't booked your lodging yet, I would start doing so immediately. There is a lot going on with B&Bs in Scotland right now, including a new licensing process and higher fees/taxes, so there may be fewer accommodations available. Definitely get all that sorted out and booked as soon as possible.